The High Court has ordered that a woman suffering with anorexia be force-fed through a tube after she refused food.

The President of the High Court Mr Justice Nicholas Kearns said it was a life or death situation and he was making an order to allow her medical carers feed the young woman immediately.

The judge said everybody was trying to do their best for the unfortunate woman whom the court heard will die if she does not get the treatment required.

Mr Justice Nicholas Kearns

The HSE's application to the court, the judge was told was supported by the young woman's parents. None of the parties or the hospital involved can be identified by order of the court.

A consultant doctor said the young woman urgently requires medical intervention to safeguard her life and the prognosis is so grave that she will simply not survive for much longer if her body does not get the nutrients she requires.

The High Court heard the woman had refused four out of seven oral nutritional supplements in the last 24 hours and because she weighs 5 stone she runs the risk of collapse.

The court heard that the woman had at one point during her on-going illness weighed just 3 stone.

Her medical team believe she needs to put on half a stone to allow her to be sufficiently stable to function outside of the hospital.

The woman does not accept she will die if she refuses further nutrition leading to weight restoration.

Making the application Counsel for the HSE Peter Finlay SC said it was an application of an urgent nature.

The woman he said had anorexia nervosa for ten years and has been admitted to hospital three times.

In an affidavit a consultant physician said the woman had first been admitted to hospital in late 2012 as a result of starvation due to anorexia nervosa.

Upon admission in 2012 her body weight was just three stone and she had a BMI of 9.8.

She had to be artificially ventilated and a feeding tube was inserted in order to feed her safely.

When she regained consciousness she was insistent she could maintain her weight and was eventually discharged home.

The consultant said unfortunately there have been two readmissions since then which have lasted for several months and the woman has remained in hospital continuously since the middle of last year.

The consultant said the woman's current situation is extremely grave. The woman has expressly stated she does not wish to die and she has consented to all other medical treatment.

A consultant psychiatrist in an affidavit to the court said the woman had agreed to oral supplements but when she restored some weight she could no long agree to a continuous plan of re feeding and began to refuse feeds.

The multi disciplinary team who are looking after her believes she does want treatment but is unable to accept it due to the severity of her anorexia.

Counsel for the girl Michael Ramsey BL asked the court for a short adjournment to allow an independent psychiatric report to be carried out.

Mr Justice Kearns after making the order said when the case comes back to court next Tuesday that application can be made at that stage.